


Putting It Together

by andyouknowitis



Series: Into The Woods [1]
Category: Big Brother RPF
Genre: Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2014-12-18
Packaged: 2018-03-01 23:33:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2791745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andyouknowitis/pseuds/andyouknowitis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Welcome to the 'Into The Woods' series. </p><p>It's an ever so slightly future!fic, which exists in a somewhat unspecified time window, but is essentially canon compliant. In which bestfriend!bros Zachary & Franklin have finally succumbed, after a period of ever-evolving friendship, and followed those breadcrumbs down that particular path. </p><p>Here we have a Frankie who attempts to have some grown-up, but I'm experienced, I should know better type chill about it all (he fails) & a Zach who is just as extra when he's properly in love, for real (like woah calm the fuck down there), as he is about everything else.</p><p>There may be some timeline jumping around as we explore the how they got there and where they're going. You'll likely meet Zach's long suffering agent somewhere along the line, who Zach treats lamentably, but who loves him anyway because reasons. </p><p>Apologies to all aforementioned peoples (except those I totally made up) for tampering with their lives. You're perfect as you are. I just like...possibilities.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Putting It Together

_“Baby, I'm your man, don't you know who I am?_ _Baby, I'm your man!_ _You bet!_ _If you're gonna do it, do it right, right, do it with me._ _Come on baby, oh, take me home, p_ _lease don't leave me here, to do it on my ownnnnn!”_

Frankie grinned at the hearty sound of enthusiastic, if somewhat pitchy, singing coming from the shower as he slipped the key into the door of his apartment. Which certain shower singers were making themselves very at home in. Setting the smoothies on the counter he toed off his now snow dusted boots, slipped off his sweater, and set about preparing the food as he hummed along. He tossed a smile over his shoulder when Zach entered the room a few minutes later, all low hanging sweats and still damp chest. “You're my man, hmmm?”

Zach grinned at his back as Frankie continued to stir eggs round the pan. “You heard that? Dude, I was actually singing about my secret lover, James. Right okay, he joined me in the shower after I woke up alone and found you'd abandoned me."

“I had to escape you somehow so I could rendezvous with my own true love, Colin. We didn't need a shower, we steamed the subway up pretty good all by ourselves”

“Is that right?"

“Oh, we did.”

Frankie slipped the eggs onto a plate as Zach wrapped his arms round his waist, resting his chin on his shoulder, while he murmured into his ear. “Morning, James.”

Frankie smiled and slipped a hand up behind him to caress the hair at the base of Zach's neck. “Morning, Colin.”

Frankie felt him inhale the scent of his hair before looking over his shoulder to the stove, while he hummed along to Whitney intoning that your love was my love on the counter radio, before speaking again. “So, whatta we got here?”

“That would be food, Z. Generally required to refuel after engaging in,” he clucked his tongue with a saucy grin, “Shall we say…strenuous activities.”

“Can we just say totally fucking awesome sex and eat?”

Frankie swatted him lightly with his spatula as he passed him a fork. “Now, where’s the fun in that, hmmm?”

“Kidding. Like, obviously I live for exchanging...things with you.”

“Glad to hear it.” He held the plate of scrambled eggs up between the them, “Now, how about you try these and tell me what you think?”

“Uh-huh. You didn’t have to cook for me y’know. I could have made something. I'm like useless but I could have tried.”

Frankie snagged the fork from his hand with a grin. “Oh, so you don’t want them? I’ll ju-”

Zach grabbed the fork back and shovelled some eggs into his mouth. “I didn’t say I didn’t want them.” He swallowed. “You having some?”

“If you’re up for trading half my bagel for some of those, then yeah. Carb offload.”

“Bring it. These are awesome by the way. I take it back, you have to cook these for me everyday. You can like, FedEx me, or something.”

Frankie snapped the bagel in half handing him a piece with a quirk of his eyebrow. “Chaining me to the kitchen sink already, Zachary?”

“Got some handcuffs?”

He stuck out his tongue as Zach waggled his own eyebrows at him. “That’s for me to know and you to find out, Rance.”

“And here I thought I knew everything there was to know about my boy, Frankie G.”

“There you go with the possessive thing again.”

“Oh, okay, so is it annoying you being mine now huh, Fran-?”

Frankie grinned as he stuffed a piece of bagel into Zach's mouth. “Did I say it annoyed me?” He sucked on his smoothie straw as he slid Zach's toward him, “I’m just still getting used to it is all.”

“Good, cause it was about to suck to be you seeing as you’re stuck with me, Rose.”

“Like a fungus? Nasty.” He pouted with a wink. “And you’re so, like, attractive, when you talk with your mouth full.”

Zach poked him lightly in the ribs where he knew it would tickle. “So, that’s how it is huh…huh?”

Frankie stifled a laugh as he bobbled the plate and set the leftover eggs aside. “Only the highly contagious part, and I’m thinking there’s no cure for this one. Incurable case of the Ranceypants.”

Zach laughed. “Yeah, as part of my cunning plan to get with you, I destroyed all known anti-Zach vaccines.” He frowned. “Well, except Justin, but he’s not allowed to talk to you.”

“Note to self: Call Justin.”

“Note to Frankie: Do Zach.”

He mock gasped as Zach took his smoothie off him, setting it on the counter before pulling him towards the lounge. They stalled in the kitchen doorway, a jokey tug-of-war, with neither prepared to give in.

“Note to Zach: Get over yourself.”

“Note to Frankie: Get under Zach.”

“Note to Za-” He was cut off as Zach's lips roamed over his mouth.

“You’re mine, Franklin.”

Frankie just grinned as he pulled him down to the ground with him, their arms curling around each other, as Zach's mouth moved down his neck. “I always was.”

*

Frankie ran a hand idly over Zach's back afterwards, tracing patterns across his skin. “Well that’s the first time we did it on the floor, snaps for us.”

Zach mumbled against his neck. “Won’t be the last time either if I have anything to do with it, G.”

“Ambitious huh, Z?”

“He shoved himself up on an elbow and grinned down at him. “No, man of mine, just realistic. The airport floor would have seen more action yesterday, if it weren’t for the, y’know, hundreds of people wandering about.”

A smile then. “Oh, so bar them and the oh, one or two fans that have no interest whatsoever in getting a picture of either of us in a compromising position, you’d have done it would you?”

“ _We_ would have buddy, we only made the couch last night since it’s right near the door.” He traced a finger beneath the strap of Frankie's tank, before smoothing it back in place, “Not that I’m complaining.”

Frankie's fingers trailed over the nape of his neck and into his hair which was beginning to curl a bit at the ends again. “I missed you too.” He cleared his throat. “I kinda wondered, after last week...well.” He looked up into Zach's questioning gaze. “Like, everything moved so quickly, and it was like a bit of time out of time, I guess. And everything's been a bit, woah, y’know, and we've both been busy. Like, I know we didn't really talk about it much. Properly. I mean it's like...I was just wondering...”

“What happens next?”

“Well…yeah.”

Zach brushed the blonde of Frankie's now mussed up bangs away from his forehead, keeping his eyes on his. “ _Us._ We’re what happens next.”

Frankie smiled and closed his eyes for a moment before finding Zach's again. “Oh, very pretty. You’re a clever one, Zachary.”

Zach smiled. “Not as clever as you.” He tangled a finger around a stray bit of pink, “Do you think it’s just you huh? I’ve only just started this job and I nearly got my ass fired twice.”

“You what...how?”

“Kept zoning out, not live or anything,” he added quickly as Frankie's eyes grew wide. “But just like I’d be done with a link, and I’m sitting there waiting, and all I can think about is you and us, and how I want to be here and not there, and then I totally missed my cue. I think they thought it was funny the first time. Second time…” his eyebrows rose. “Not so much.”

Frankie laughed. “You’re such a dork. I love it.” He leaned up to skim his lips over Zach's slightly chapped ones, “I love you. But Zachary,” he added in a mock stern tone, “Concentrate on what you’re doing from now on hmmm? Can’t have you getting an out-of-it reputation because of lil' ole me....”

Zach smiled against his mouth. “I think you’d only enhance my _reputation_ as it is..”

“This is true, hmmm, I may demand payment.”

“Is that so? What did you have in mind?”

Frankie nibbled lightly on his lower lip. “Oh, I’ll think of something.” He shifted against him. “So, nice as this is, it’s all kinds of arctic out, and this floor is kinda freezing parts of me...”

Zach smirked. “I’ll warm them up if you let me.”

“You do that…later. Anything you want to do the rest of the day?”

“Just you.”

“You’re so easily pleased, Z.” He clucked his tongue, “Or just y’know…easy.”

Frankie grinned when Zach tugged on a tuft of his hair in response. “I could argue that point but as we’re currently on a very cold floor at my instigation I’m thinking odds are I’d lose.”

“Smart guy knows when to pull out.”

“Well I'm learning, Franklin.” He laughed into Frankie's neck as he shook with laughter beneath him. “I'm a quick study, right?”

“You are. Or maybe I'm just a good teacher. Hmmm. Maybe I should write a book. Run a class...”

“'How to fuck Frankie 101?'”

“Let's start with ' _Your Dick Feels So Fucking Good When It's Rubbed Just Right Against Mine: A History'_   and go from there.”

They both laughed. Frankie tapped his ass smartly. “And then some. Now are we going to move or just talk about it all day?”

Zach eased back and extended a hand to help him up. “On it, and I know what I want to do today.”

“Apart from me.”

Zach flashed him a quick grin as they scrambled to their feet, fixing their respective articles of clothing. “As _well_ as you. I want to see New York.”

“You want to…you’ve seen New York before. You lived here.”

“Yeah that one part, for like five minutes. I mean I know I've been here working, sightseeing, and New Jersey and stuff, but I don’t really feel like I’ve ever seen it properly. The way a New Yorker sees it.” He held out his hand. “Show me. Show me your New York, Frankie.”

Frankie took his hand with a soft smile and locked his fingers with his. “Let's clean up and get dressed, then I’ll show you.”

*

He showed him everything; from his favourite deli, to his local bookstore, the place where he picked up coffee on the way to work, to the spot on Broadway where he’d first stood years before and known what he was meant to do. Somewhere along the route, Frankie decided a detour into _Barneys_ to buy Zach a pair of gloves was in order, after shaking his head at him, as he pretended to ignore the biting chill around them. Frankie pulled him into the store behind him. “How is it you brought four baseball caps with you but no gloves?”

“It’s not like I usually need gloves around L.A. is it? And besides I wasn’t exactly expecting snow in the middle of October.”

“It’s New York, Zach. Expect everything. Including freak snow storms. Anyone would think you never spent time here before. This isn’t L.A. Or Florida come to that. It gets cold here. Really cold.”

“I know that baby. I don't need gloves.”

Frankie shot him a look. “Your hands aren’t cold?”

Zach opened his mouth and then closed it again.

“I thought so.” Frankie leafed through the rack at the stand, selecting a black pair, as he pulled a face. “Here try these. We can get you some better ones later but they'll do for today.”

Zach pulled them on, a grin forming as he watched Frankie fiddle with the cuffs and turn his hands this way and that, until he seemed satisfied, before he looked up at him with a muttered, “Okay?"

Zach nodded. “Okay.”

He watched as Frankie smiled at the clerk on the counter, charming him, as he did most everyone, to untag the gloves there so that he could wear them out of the store, sliding his card across the desk, and handling the request for an autograph all without batting an eyelid. It was as natural as breathing to him. He really was born to it. He smiled as Frankie slid the piece of paper along the desk to him, handing him the pen as he continued chatting easily to the clerk. He very much doubted they wanted his autograph too, but he did it anyway. As he signed his name next to his he felt a flourish of pride that this amazing, unmatchable man wanted to be with _him_. He’d asked him to show him his New York and being Frankie he’d done more than that, he’d shown him, yet again, himself. The parts that not everyone got to see.

“Hello, earth to Zach?”

He blinked. “Huh?”

Frankie laughed as he handed the pen back to the clerk with a thanks and goodbye, before taking his hand and tugging him away from the line that had formed behind them.

“I’m starting to see how your producers might feel when you zone out...here.” He reached up. “I got you this too.”

Zach looked down at the soft greens and greys of the paisley design, as Frankie laid it round his neck and smoothed it down against his chest. “You got me a scarf?”

“Yeah, I did. Can’t have that gorgeous voice getting damaged can we? Who would I have to serenade me with shower karaoke then hmmm?”

Zach's grin could have lit up Manhattan. “Look at you looking after me.”

He watched in fascination as the blush crept up Frankie's cheekbones. He so rarely got embarrassed about anything. His eyes were still focused on the scarf, where his fingers had tightened slightly. “Yeah…well maybe I like looking after you,” he said softly.

Zach didn’t care that they were in the middle of a busy department store, with scores of people milling about. He didn’t care who saw. Right then all he cared about was the man stood in front of him _._ He tipped his chin up and lowered his mouth to his catching it in a soft kiss, as Frankie gripped the sides of the scarf at the unexpected move. They pulled apart a few moments later, faces flushed.

Zach grinned. “Well I do feel warmer now...”

Frankie quirked an eyebrow. “I think I can make you warmer still, Zachary.”

“Well, much as there are y’know, slightly less people here than at the airport, Franklin, I’m not sure we can get away with that.”

“Sucks to be us. Guess we’ll have to settle for the best hot chocolate in New York.” He grabbed his glove clad hand leading him out of the store into the crisp air with a smile. “If you know them like I do, you get extra marshmellows.”

“I knew there was a reason I hooked up with you, Grande.”

Frankie nudged him as they melded into the ever moving crowd on the sidewalk. “Oh, so the truth comes out, Rance. You’re only with me for the marshmellows huh? Didn‘t even know you liked 'em.”

Zach wrapped an arm round his shoulders. “What’s not to like? They melt in your mouth and they taste real good.”

“Well, we’ll see what you think of the best NYC has to offer..”

“I already know how good that tastes.”

Frankie shot him a look under his lashes, as Zach hugged him to his side. The heat built between them until they no longer felt the cold.

*

It was dark when they finally returned to the apartment. After some takeout from Frankie's favourite Chinese restaurant, over some wine and reality t.v., they found themselves in the bathroom side-by-side, brushing their teeth. Both kept stealing glances at the other. Frankie finished first, because who wouldn't when Zach was around, and watched in the mirror over the sink as Zach rinsed his mouth. He looked up catching Frankie's eye in the glass, before turning his head to find his gaze. “What? I know I take forever, but, like, you lived with me already, you know this shit.”

Frankie took his brush from his fingers, setting it aside before he slid his arms round his waist. “It's not that. I like all your weird stuff. Hello, look how long I take washing my face. It's more just..nothing...and everything. I just realised I’m happy, _really_ happy, with you and this, and-” He shrugged and grinned, “Well you...and _this_.”

Zach said nothing for a moment then just led him by the hand into the bedroom off the en-suite, brushing a thumb over Frankie's now smooth cheek, as they stood by the bed. “I’m not sure I knew what happy really was until I met you. I had no fucking idea. And now I do.”

Boxers and briefs met the ground as they slipped onto soft sheets. Frankie's lips roamed over Zach, as his nails skimmed down his lower back, making him shiver beneath his touch. He let Zach's hands wander where he wanted, before guiding his fingers to touch him, pressing some lube against his fingertips, showing him what he needed. They were drawn into noisy open-mouthed kisses, before Frankie edged down, down, down, tracing heat against his skin. He felt Zach tense as his teeth gently scraped his inner thigh. He lifted his head and ran a hand up over his hipbone, splayed his fingers there, his voice a whisper. “Zach, do you trust me?”

He could deny him nothing. “Yes.”

Frankie trembled just as Zach did at his breath along his skin. His response touched something inside him, no qualification, just truth alone in a single word. He knew so much of this was new to him. And yet it was new to him too. He'd never had anyone place so much faith in him. He'd so rarely been the one that could show someone anything. He could show him this. He wanted to give him everything.

Frankie arched Zach's knees up, and settled between them. He massaged him softly with his thumbs, pressing soft kisses, spreading him open slowly, easing him into it. He took him slowly and completely, his mouth as soft as the sounds spilling out of Zach's lips. With ruthless attention he drove him to the edge, all wicked tongue and sinful mouth, harder then, as Zach's fingers gripped the bed sheet and tangled in his hair. Minutes passed, before his voice cracked out; an urgent whisper. “Frankie, I need to..I need to..”

Frankie inched his way back up, soft kisses once more, against Zach's thighs and stomach, as he went. “I know, baby. I'm ready.”

He found a condom, and then Zach's mouth with his own again, as he slid slowly down, a small roll of his hips as he let them both adjust. Then he's taking him with him, all heat and rush against the cool night air.

*

Frankie slipped out of the bathroom and back into bed, shifting so he lay against Zach's shoulder, soft against his side. He pressed a warm kiss to his forehead, murmuring against his still damp skin. “You're real quiet there, Zach. Did I finally find something that could shut you up? Note to self: Rance rates rimming.”

Zach poked a finger against his ribs in protest. “Mmmmm, yeah I do. And like, shut me up? You wish, Grande.” He stretched the syllables of his name out, even as Frankie laughed against him with a dramatic sigh. 

“Fuckkkkkk. Stop, Z. I'm weak. I love all the ways you say my name. I love that's it my name and you saying it. I just love you being all about me me me.” Another sigh. “I'm a mess.”

“You're _my_ mess.”

“Zachary.”

_“Franklin.”_

“I'm getting myself a depression sweater.”

“You can have the one I've got with me, and then I'll take it back with me next trip, cause it'll smell like you, and then you can keep it the next time, and then me again, until it smells worse than the house did after like, five minutes. Eau de Zankie.”

“Oh God, no really, stop, before I never let you leave.”

“Yeah, but so like, I leave, means I get to come back, and we can have almost sex in airports, and shit.”

“True.”

Zach turned his head to brush his lips over Frankie's shoulder with a grin. “I am so getting the hang of this boyfriend thing, amiright?” He skimmed a hand up Frankie's side, “So, next weekend..”

“Mmmm?”

“My schedule’s pretty much working out as Mondays through some late Thursdays, for some promo stuff, for the station. You’re tied up Tuesdays through Saturdays, yeah?”

“Pretty much, although it’s mostly only Saturday mornings just now, until the show opens anyway. After that, zip time for Saturdays.”

“Okay..okay. Makes sense that I come here then, as I got Fridays, or even late Thursdays, if I can work it.”

“You can come here, whenever you want, Zachary.”

Zach slapped Frankie's thigh idly. “Literally making things harder for me, over here.”

“Just saying.’”

“Mmmm, so we’re looking at like most of the day together Sundays, and like even Friday nights after you're done with the show, and Saturday ones too, if I get here by Friday afternoon latest, through say late Sunday and then I can fly back then for work on Monday.”

Frankie lifted his head and rested his chin on Zach's chest. “Where exactly are you going to fit sleep into this plan of yours, Mr fifteen hours a day?”

“Well, I'll need sex to keep me charged, obviously.”

Frankie giggled despite himself, as he swatted his chest. “I’m serious! I don’t want you wearing yourself out because of me.”

“You offering to wear me out, G?”

“Zaaaaaaaach.”

“ _Frankieeeeee._ ” Zach mocked his plaintive tone, as he looked up at him, before tweaking a strand of hair. “Look, it’s only for a few weeks, yeah, until I get done with the radio stint, and you finish up with the show. I can hack it. Besides I can sleep while you're at work.”

“It's three months, Zach. But yeah okay, we'll pretend like you won't be hanging around backstage again most nights. And I’m coming to L.A. when I can too. I'll check the schedule, see if there's any way I can get a couple of days straight, here and there.”

“You wanna be straight? My life is a lie. Too bad I'm not straight now. We could be bromance bros again.”

Frankie dissolved into giggles for real this time, trying to catch his breath, as he pressed his forehead against Zach's chest again. “Jesus, Zach, you've fucked me up. I never used to be this...this.”

“This?”

“Just..this. I'm used to being three steps ahead of everyone, ready for anything. But you, you're..you.”

“I'm just Zach Rance.”

“You could never _just_ be anything. But I'm taking Zach Rance and running with him, so like, if you want out now, too bad. I'll tie you up with our depression sweater if you try to escape.”

“Kinky.”

Frankie pushed up and tapped a hand lightly against his cheek. “Oh, boy of mine, you have _no_ idea.”

So, give me an idea.”

“I'll give you plenty.” He pressed his mouth to his. “All in good time.” Nipped his lip. “And bad Frankie.”

Zach groaned. “Fuck. _Don't._  Like, I want it now.”

Frankie eased his fingers into his hair and tugged a little. “No. One new experience at a time, okay? But this is good. We have a plan. And like, aims. I'm an over-achiever. We'll work this hard.”

Zach pouted. “This is good because I mostly know how to under-achieve and act like I planned it. You're like, my perfect match.”

Frankie rested his chin on his hand with a grin.“Direct from BB heaven. But you don’t leave it too late to fly on Sundays. I know you’ve got the time difference on your side and all, but I want you fresh for work on Mondays. I know this is a big opportunity for you, Mr co-host of my own radio show.”

Zach smothered a grin. “Yes, sir.”

“Laugh all you want. Those are my rules”

“I think I can cope bae, seeing as I get you at the end of it.” Zach brushed his fingertips softly across Frankie's back. A familiar gesture of comfort. “We’ll work it out.”

“Yeah, yeah we will.” Frankie blew out a breath lightly, “Okay..so woah. We are totally doing this. We're an us. We got a plan.”

“Yeah we do. And yeah we are.”

“So we can so do this until the next thing steals you away from me and then...”

Zach leaned up and rolled over, until Frankie was beneath him, and skimmed his lips over his. “And then we’ll do…”

Frankie smiled against his mouth, words against his lips. “Whatever comes next.”

It’s a simple truth in complicated lives. It’s love, it’s hope, it’s compromise. It’s all in three little words.

*

**Author's Note:**

> If you like you know what to do x
> 
> To those who have left comments and kudos thank you muchly, it really helps let me know that it's being enjoyed, and if I'm on the mark. Thank you to all those who have just taken the time to read as well, even if it's not your kind of thing, it's all much appreciated. 
> 
> tumblr: andyouknowitis


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